Nike Is Releasing an Augmented Reality App to Measure Shoes

Nike's AR App Will Ensure Your Sneakers Are Always a Perfect Fit

Back in the ‘90s, a very crude version of virtual reality was all the rage. Amusement parks had 16-bit versions and it even made appearances in movies such as 1992’s “The Lawnmower Man.” Virtual reality has made great strides in the decades since. But the newest trend in the altered reality scope is augmented reality.

Recently, the Devils Backbone Brewing Company created augmented reality packaging. Using a smartphone camera, drinkers were able to hover over the beer packaging to meet various characters – designed to explain the different brews in a whimsical and futuristic way. But breweries aren’t the only ones hopping on the augmented reality bandwagon. This summer, using augmented reality, you’ll be able to buy Nike sneakers – with the perfect fit.

No longer will you need to rummage through your old sneakers and check the tags to see which size you wear in which particular shoe. No longer will you need to assume a certain shoe will fit, only to discover it’s far too narrow. That’s because Nike is releasing an app feature called “Nike Fit” that utilizes a mad mixture of algorithms, data, artificial intelligence and augmented reality to literally scan your feet and determine your actual shoe size.

Nike

According to Engadget, Nike claims that more than 60 percent of people walk around wearing shoes that don’t actually fit them. If you’ve ever worn shoes that don’t fit properly for an extended period of time, you know the struggle. They can cause back pain, foot pain and a whole cavalcade of easily preventable maladies.

To use Nike Fit, you’ll simply open the Nike app, visit the product page and pick the shoe size. This is where the new function will appear that will measure your feet. Your smartphone camera will turn on and you’ll be guided to point the camera at your feet. Two augmented reality circles will actually scan and measure your feet. Boom, just like that you’ll finally know your actual foot size – down to the millimeter – so you’ll never buy the wrong size sneaker again.

The app will also provide information as to why that’s your size, such as “this shoe runs small.” And it will share if one of your feet is a different size than the other. Who knows how that tidbit will help you purchase shoes, but at least you’ll finally know why you always seem to swerve a little to the left when you walk.

Once you’re done measuring, your information will be saved in your app profile and you’ll receive a personalized QR code that can be scanned at the Nike store if buying shoes online isn’t for you.

The function is expected to be added to the Nike app in July in the U.S. only before rolling out to other parts of the world toward the end of the summer. If you don't have the Nike app, you might want to download it soon – the future is coming.